With very little respite after Hurricane Ophelia battered Ireland, Wales and parts of England's west coast, another storm could be on its way this weekend.

"Strong to gale force" winds and "widespread heavy rain" are being forecast for parts of Britain - and it could become the next named storm of the winter season, which is due to be Brian.

The storm is expected to hit the Irish Sea and bring gale force winds to the coastline on Saturday (October 21), just five days after ex-Hurricane Ophelia wreaked havoc.

The Category 3 storm took to Ireland and parts of the British mainland's west coast on Monday (October 16), causing travel disruption, fallen trees and power cuts across thousands of homes.

A spokesman for The Weather Channel said: "A further deep area of low pressure, likely to be the next named storm of the season, is forecast to track from the south-west of Ireland and into the Irish Sea, with anticlockwise winds.

"These will be moderate to fresh, but strong to gale force on coasts.

"There will be widespread heavy rain in Scotland, Northern Ireland and western Britain, with cloud and patchy rain elsewhere. Maximum temperatures will be in the low to mid teens."

The Met Office is responsible for naming storms and said on Tuesday that the incoming weather had not yet been given the name of Brian.